Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit in everything to their husband. Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, (Ephesians 5:24-25 ESV)
As I prayed for God’s direction regarding the Scripture that He wanted me to write about this week, I felt that He was leading me to this passage from Ephesians. I hesitated, because I know that people live in any number of different circumstances. While some do, not all marriages experience the blessing that is spoken of in Ephesians 5:24-25.
Numerous times in Scripture, we are told that we should submit to God. This Scripture speaks specifically to husbands and wives about it. By embracing these words, we have the opportunity to show our love and our submission to Christ, and to live in His blessings. I’m not going to write a list of do’s and don’ts, or my personal interpretations of this passage, but there is a promise from God in Job 22:21 (ESV), which says, “Agree with God [submit, yield to], and be at peace; thereby good will come to you.” I desire to see good come to each and every one of you, in every way.
Bruce and I have been happily married for 20 years. Together, we have attempted to live out the truth of this passage to the best of our ability. Admittedly, sometimes we get it wrong and have bad days. On those days, we have learned to say “I’m sorry,” to be forgiving toward each other, and to move forward without holding on to past mistakes made by one or the other, or maybe even both of us. Sometimes, the most important thing we can do is pray… “Lord, we don’t see the answer to this problem, but we trust that You do. Please help us and show us Your way.” Through the years, we have been blessed by knowing God’s love, and experiencing it in the midst of our marriage, regardless of the trials that have come. His love for us has been evident every step of the way.
We have learned that this instruction in God’s Word is from the heart of a loving heavenly Father who desires to see His children live in the fullness of His love. According to God’s Word, God’s desire for marriage is that it be a covenant between a husband and a wife where His love for both spouses can be seen and experienced.
The same principle applies to each and every instruction from God’s Word, regarding every single area of our lives, not just marriage. It is motivated by His perfect love for us. He wants to see us blessed in every way possible. As you read God’s Word, I encourage you to embrace it as words of life and love from your Father in heaven. He loves you with an unending love. I pray that you will be strengthened as you meditate on His message to you, receive His love, and rest in His presence.
My prayer is, “Heavenly Father, thank you for your love for each of us. Thank you that you love us enough to tell us what we need to hear, instead of always telling us what we want to hear. Please help us to see that Your ways are best in everything and give us grace to live according to Your will in every situation. In Jesus’ Name. AMEN.
